Chapter 11

ARIA

The aroma of fresh pancakes drifted into my nostrils, stirring me awake. My eyes opened slowly as I took in my surroundings.

It didn’t look familiar.

Where was I?

I replayed the previous day’s events in my head and instantly regretted it because the sadness washed over me like a dirty blanket.

The room was small and barely looked lived in. The bed was the only proper piece of furniture there, with brown boxes littered around the floor.

It looked like someone who never got around to fully unpacking.

Subconsciously, I stretched my arms and yawned.

That was when he walked in.

Kade Wolfe.

My stomach twisted at the sight of him. He was bare-chested with a pair of sweatpants hanging low on his waist, teasing me with the sharp outline of his V-line.

I swallowed hard.

“You’re up,” he said casually before picking up a black shirt lying nearby and pulling it over his head.

My eyes trailed to his biceps and the flex of his abs from that simple movement nearly made my mouth water. He looked like he had been sculpted by the Greek gods themselves.

My throat dried instantly.

Water…I need water.

I forced my eyes away.

“Freshen up. We’re heading back to the house soon.”

My brain cleared immediately.

“What?”

He didn’t answer. He just walked out into what looked like a kitchen.

As much as I didn’t want to leave, I knew I eventually had to. Dad would lose his mind if he found out I spent the night at my bodyguard’s house.

I stepped into the bathroom and took a shower. It wasn’t until I was done that I realised I had nothing to change into.

Not even a towel.

I froze.

I obviously couldn’t wear my muddy wedding dress again. I didn’t even wake up in it.

Which meant—

He must have changed me. No.

No, I absolutely refused to think about Kade changing my clothes.

What was I supposed to do now?

“Kade!”

No response.

Maybe he wasn’t home anymore. I could just dash into the room and grab something quickly.

Why didn’t I think this through earlier?

I opened the bathroom door slightly and peeked outside.

The room was empty.

I tiptoed quietly across the room, scanning for anything wearable. I spotted a towel hanging loosely beside the closet and rushed toward it.

The bedroom door suddenly swung open.

“Breakfast is rea—oh my God!”

He turned immediately.

I shut my eyes so fast I nearly got whiplash.

“I’m…” he coughed awkwardly. “I’m so sorry. I’ll—I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Then he left and locked the door behind him.

“Arghhh!”

I buried my face in my hands.

What the hell just happened?

Did my bodyguard just walk in on me naked?

Heat flooded my skin. I grabbed the towel and practically ran back into the bathroom.

When I came out again, there was a note slipped under the door.

There’s a clean dress outside. Open the door.

I opened it carefully and picked it up.

It was a yellow sundress that clung to me like a second skin. Simple, but beautiful in that effortless kind of way.

Who did it belong to?

Had he bought dresses for me because he somehow knew my size?

No.

I refused to delude myself again after my fiancé literally abandoned me for my cousin.

I knew this would happen.

I just thought I had threatened Adrian enough. I thought he was too much of a coward to go against his father’s wishes and choose Cassie.

His father wanted this union.

I thought that was all that mattered. But it turned out I was wrong.

He had balls after all. Just not when it came to me.

I cried myself to sleep last night, blaming myself for everything. If only I had listened to Kade and broken things off the moment I found out Adrian was cheating.

But I was too obsessed with the idea of him.

Too desperate not to lose to Cassie for once.

And just like always…

I failed miserably.

Breakfast was awkward.

Kade avoided my eyes the entire time, and the tension between us was thick enough to choke on.

He stuffed his face with the omelette he made before standing abruptly.

“Eat up. I’ll get the car running.”

I just sat there feeling like a ghost accidentally invited into a party full of humans.

If breakfast was awkward, the ride home was pure hell.

I felt sick the entire drive, like bile was climbing up my throat. I rolled down the window and let the cold air slap against my face.

“Wow,” I breathed in relief.

I watched Kade’s expression through the rearview mirror.

Blank.

He acted like he hadn’t seen me completely naked earlier.

When we got home, Dad and Margaret were having dinner. They were laughing about something until they saw us.

They immediately stopped.

Almost like they’d been caught doing something wrong.

Of course, neither of them cared that their daughter had just been abandoned on her wedding day by the only man she had ever loved.

“Where are you coming from, Aria?” my father’s voice boomed.

I rolled my eyes internally.

“Did you even wonder for one second where I was? Whether I was okay?”

“Well, that’s what I just asked. Now answer me.”

“You actually don’t give a fuck about me. Your precious princess stole my man and they both disappeared to God knows where. The least you could do is sympathise with me—”

“Aria, don’t be dramatic,” Margaret cut in. “You’re too emotional. Your father has been searching for you. It’s not anyone’s fault you couldn’t keep a man.”

“What—”

“What your mother is trying to say—”

“She’s not my mother,” I snapped.

He continued like I hadn’t spoken.

“What she’s saying is that Cassie is family too. I spoke to Mr Parker and we settled things already. You and Cassie are basically sisters. It doesn’t matter which one of you marries Adrian as long as the alliance between our families happens.”

“Here,” Margaret said, sliding a card toward me.

I picked it up slowly.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE BLISSFUL MATRIMONY OF CASSIE PARKER & ADRIAN PARKER